New carpet approved for county courthouse

Monday

Dec 17, 2012 at 11:30 AM

The Phelps County Commission Thursday approved purchasing new carpet for several rooms in the county courthouse from McCall’s Floormart, of Rolla, which was the only vendor that submitted a bid for the work. The company’s bid of $36,110 includes materials and labor.

Paul Hackbarth | Staff Writer

The Phelps County Commission Thursday approved purchasing new carpet for several rooms in the county courthouse from McCall’s Floormart, of Rolla, which was the only vendor that submitted a bid for the work. The company’s bid of $36,110 includes materials and labor.

Mark Brookshire, county facilities manager, said $27,066, which covers the materials, will come out of the 2012 budget with the remaining $9,044, which will cover the installation, coming out of next year’s budget.

New carpet will be installed in Courtroom One, the hallway in the courthouse’s bottom floor, a computer room and offices of the circuit clerk, county clerk, commissioners, assessor, treasurer and collector.

District One Commissioner Larry Stratman said that after the budget impact of health insurance costs decreased, he no longer has reservations about paying for the carpet.

The installation would likely take place at night or on weekends, Brookshire said.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the commission heard a request through Sue Brown, circuit clerk, and Brookshire from Judge Mary Sheffield, who was appointed by Gov. Jay Nixon to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District.

Sheffield is requesting new office space in the courthouse. According to state statutes, the county may offer the judge office space if available.

District Two Commissioner Bud Dean said the courthouse is going to run out of space, but Brown replied, “We already are short (on space).”

“We don’t have a courtroom problem. We have a scheduling problem,” Dean said. “I hate to obligate funds (for space) that we can use in other places. I’d like to do this, but it takes money and it takes space.”

Brown said Sheffield suggested placing her office, where probate files are stored, but Brown said she doesn’t know where to relocate the files then. “All of my storage is full,” Brown said.

Stratman said he received a request from the public administrator for more space and noted that the prosecutor’s office had to be relocated at one time. “Everyone in the court system is expanding,” Stratman said.

Presiding Commissioner Randy Verkamp said the commission will consider the request, but made no decision Thursday.

Additionally, it was noted that as of Thursday morning, nobody had filed for the one seat open on the Phelps County Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees.

The trustee elected will serve a five-year term. The seat is currently held by Dr. John Park, board chair. Qualified candidates may file until Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. in the county clerk’s office.

Also, there are four seats up for election on the Phelps County Emergency Services Board. The candidates elected will serve four-year terms. The seats are volunteer positions.

Two of the candidates must live in District One of Phelps County and the other two candidates must live in District Two. Candidates for these races also can file until 5 p.m. Jan. 15 with the county clerk’s office.